Things to do this week: Derby's Making Festival 2025, John Bishop Live, and a Abba Day Party!

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Morning! If you’re wondering where the fun’s hiding this week, start with glue guns and glitter. The Derby Making Festival is taking over the Museum of Making, and it’s the kind of day that’ll have you pretending you’re “helping the kids” when really, you’re just excited about clay. Add in live music at the newly reopened New Pin Pub in Chelleston, a night of oversharing with Davina McCall, and a full-blown ABBA disco at The Church. It’s shaping up to be one of those weekends where you’ll need Monday just to recover.

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📅 WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?

🔨 - Assemble: Derby’s Making Festival - Where Even Adults Start Playing With Glue Again
📍 - Museum of Making
📅 - Saturday 25th Oct
⏰ - 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
🎟️ - £5 | Under 16s Free
📷 - @derbymuseums

If you’ve ever fancied yourself a bit handy but haven’t touched a glue stick since Year 8, this one’s for you. Assemble brings over 60 makers under one roof with everything from bubble art and robot building to jewellery, clay, and Aardman Animation workshops where you can make your own Feathers McGraw. It’s hands-on, family-friendly, and set inside the Museum of Making. Tickets are already flying faster than a glue gun on full power.

MONDAY

Silent Book Club - Carnero Lounge
6:00 PM | More Info

TUESDAY

John Bishop Live (Limited Tickets) - Vaillant Live
7:00 PM | More Info

WEDNESDAY

Dacre Stoker Meet and Greet - Pickford’s House Museum
12:00 PM | More Info

Bob Frishman Talk - Derby Museums
1:30 PM | More Info

Painting Party - Carnero Lounge
7:00 PM | More Info

THURSDAY

Derbyshire Queer Arts Collective Social & Networking Night - Derby Theatre
6:00 PM | More Info

Quiz Night - Derby Market Hall
7:00 PM | More Info

Derby Ghost Tour - Old Bell Hotel
7:00 PM | More Info

FRIDAY

Torch Lit Pumpkin Picking - Bluebell Dairy
5:30 PM | More Info

SATURDAY:

School of Witchcraft & Wizardry - Bluebell Dairy
10:00 AM | More Info

South Indian Association Deepavali Celebration - Grand River Suite
11:00 AM | More Info

Macbeth Partners of Greatness - Derby Cathedral
2:30 PM and 7:30 PM | More Info

The Story of Florence Nightingale - Chapel Street Arts Centre
7:30 PM | More Info

The Ultimate Tribute To Sabrina Carpenter & Olivia Rodrigo - Derby Arena
7:30 PM | More Info

SUNDAY: 

75 Years of Formula 1 - Great Northern Classics
10:00 AM | More Info

Live Greek Music & Meze - Zorba The Greek
1:00 PM | More Info

Grief Cafe - Insomnia Cafe Littleover
2:00 PM | More Info

Free Salsa Night - Nicco’s Restaurant
8:00 PM | More Info

🍔 SCRUMPTIOUS SCOOP

🍻 - The New Pin - Chellaston’s Long-Awaited Pub Reopens This Week
📍 - Swarkestone Road, Chellaston
📅 - Opening Friday 24th October
⏰ - All Weekend | Live Music Saturday 8:00 PM | Sunday Solo Set 1:00 PM
📷 - @newpinchellaston

Chellaston’s getting its local back, and it’s been a long time coming. The New Pin opens this Friday kicking off an opening weekend packed with food, music and plenty of pints.

Saturday brings live music from 8 PM, and Sunday rolls in with a one-off solo act from 1 PM. After years of waiting, the doors are finally open again, and this time, it’s here to stay.

🎭 ACTIVITY ALLEY

💬 - An Evening with Davina McCall - The Nation’s Favourite Oversharer, Live
📍 - Vaillant Live
📅 - Thursday 23rd Oct
⏰ - Doors 6:30 PM | Show 7:30 PM
🎟️ - From £30
📷 - @vaillantlive

Davina’s taking over Vaillant Live for one night only, telling stories, spilling secrets and saying everything TV producers wish she wouldn’t. From Big Brother to The Masked Singer, she’s bringing that trademark charm, sharp wit and plenty of jaw-dropping moments.

🌟 FRESH EXPERIENCES

🎉 - The ABBA Day Party - Derby’s Turning Into Mamma Mia for a Day
📍 - The Church, St Peter’s Churchyard
📅 - Saturday 25th Oct
⏰ - 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Last Entry 5 PM
🎟️ - From £20 | 18+ Only (Last 100 left)
📷 - @thechurchderby

Get your glitter ready because The Church is going full ABBA this Saturday. It’s five hours of wall-to-wall disco bangers, sequins, and questionable dance moves. “Dancing Queen”, “Waterloo”, and a room full of people who’ve waited all year to belt out “Mamma Mia” like they’re on stage in Vegas. Tickets are flying, grab one of the last few before they’re gone.

🎶 LIVE MUSIC

Friday

• Smote + Poundland - Dubrek Studios - 7:00 PM

• The Fargo Railroad - Victoria Inn - 7:30 PM

• Jody Fenton Soul, Motown & Reggae - The King’s Highway Pub - 8:00 PM

• Guns N’ Roses Experience - Flowerpot - 9:00 PM

Saturday

• It’s Been Emotional - Electric Daisy - 6:00 PM

• Henry John and Milly Ayesha - Derby Market Hall - 7:00 PM

• OMP Lower Slaugther, Trigger Thumb - Dubrek Studios - 7:30 PM

• Metal Fatigue - Horse and Groom - 7:45 PM

• Skarantinos Album Launch - The Smithfield - 8:00 PM

• Rick and The Retros - Spondon Liberal Club - 8:30 PM

• J Quad - Needles Pub - 9:00 PM

• The Modest Live - Spondon Village Club - 9:00 PM

• One Step Behind - Flowerpot - 9:00 PM

Sunday

• Anna Milne Live - Derby Market Hall - 12:00 PM

• Kid Klumsy + Monkish - Victoria Inn - 2:00 PM

• Sensational Hot Rocks Band - The Smithfield - 4:00 PM

☁️ WEEKEND WEATHER

Friday
12°C 🌡️ 7°C | Cloudy changing to light showers by late morning.

Saturday
12°C 🌡️ 6°C | Overcast.

Sunday
13°C 🌡️ 6°C | Cloudy.
Temperature readings taken from the Met Office the night before publication

THANKS!

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